1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a login process technique, and in particular, to an application with a login function that can utilize user information in an external system.
2. Background Art
With the recent increased awareness of information security, application software dealing with confidential information very generally provides a login function. Such applications normally internally hold user information including information on authorities to access resources.
General applications internally holding user information and authority information contain a user ID, a login authentication password, a user name, authority information, and user-specific application setting information. The application executes a login process through authentication with the user ID, the password, and the like and utilizes the functions of the application within the range of the authorities.
In a system that utilizes a combination of various applications, managing users for each individual application results in complicated management and increased operation costs. One means for solving such a problem is to centralize management of user information. JP Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2006-350866 A is a technical document that discloses such a method. The invention described in JP Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2006-350866 A provides an authentication management system configured to allow single sign-on to be executed on a plurality of Web servers with respective independent authentication means without the need to change the system configuration of the existing Web server.